Project 365 ~ 099

Michele, with one L.

today I headed BACK up to Seattle. What a fun weekend! This time I left without kids, without Husband and just got to go out with a few friends of my own. We hit up a couple wineries out in Woodinville area, I hear there are many more up there and I will need to, perhaps, make a few more trips up to see. But today we got to two. First being Chateau St. Michelle (with two L's). This was a lovely estate winery with a huge processing plant and beautiful tasting room. They had delicious reisling and even inspired me to try a few reds. While heading over for a tour of the facilities our party spied this beautiful bird trying, quite unsuccessfully, to hide in the shrubbery.

Our second stop was to a very small winery that is basically run from a couple's home, albeit a gorgeous home with a kitchen I turned an undeniable shade of green over. Anyway NW Totem Cellars makes a Late Harvest Viognier that turned my envy into love. I will be back winemaker Mike, oh yes, you will see me again!

After our spectacular wine tastings we piled into the Party Van and headed out to Buca de Beppos. While I tend to run with the "lets-go-anywhere-but-to-a-chain-restaurant" crowd, I have to give it to Buca's. They sure know how to do the family style dinner. It is great food in giant Italian family size bowls and you can't help but eat until your eyeballs are bulging from your head. Lactose Intolerants beware! We enjoyed a rousing Buca rendition of happy birthday to my fun friend Michele and celebrated the 1st anniversary of her 29th birthday.

Somehow we were able to roll ourselves from the restaurant back into the van and our incredible driver, Bobby, managed to park that monster of a vehicle on a tiny side street in Fremont! Then, not only did he park, but when it was time for me go he maneuved himself out of being sandwiched in by two obnoxious tiny cars who decided to ignore the "No Parking beyond this point" sign, and drop me off at the light rail station so I could head home to my lovely family while the rest of the wild 'kids' could party til the sun came back up.

Sorry I couldn't stay until the end Michele, I hope you had more fun than you knew what to do with! Best wishes to you for this coming year my friend! Happy Birthday!!